Device for supplying active substances to a cleaning device

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a device ( 1 ) for fitting one or several active substances ( 8 ) to a cleaning device ( 20 ). To this end, the invention makes use of a retaining device against which the active substance ( 8 ) lies upon or is connected thereto such that the active substance ( 8 ) is held by the retaining device. The retaining device ( 1 ) is affixable to a conventional cleaning device ( 20 ), preferably one as used in sanitary and/or hygienic fields. The inventive retaining device comprises a receiving area ( 2 ) preferably configured as a single-piece ring and connected by means of a coupling section ( 4 ) to a fixing area ( 3 ) which is affixed to the cleaning device ( 20 ).

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for fitting one orseveral active substances to a cleaning device. The present inventionrelates in particular to a device for fitting active substances to anygiven cleaning device as may be used, for example, in sanitary and/orhygienic surroundings.

[0002] Uncompromising cleanliness plays a prominent role in many spheresof modern life. The need for and the availability of cleansers andcleaning agents for the most varied of applications is virtuallyincalculable. Yet cleaning agents are often used without the appropriatecleaning devices such that, on the one hand, an optimum cleansing effectis not attained and, on the other hand, it's easy for the cleaningagents to end up being applied excessively, resulting in an unnecessaryburden on the environment.

[0003] It is therefore the task of the present invention to provide adevice which improves upon the disadvantages inherent in the prior art.

[0004] This task is solved by a device in accordance with claim 1 aswell as by a method in accordance with claim 20. Preferred embodimentsof the inventive device and the inventive procedure constitute theobject of the respective subclaims.

[0005] The present invention accordingly allows for active substances tobe fixed to a cleaning device such that the cleaning effect of saidactive substances is only rendered when the cleaning device is actuallyused. This results in a need-based application of the active substanceswhich has the dual effect of not only having a low impact on theenvironment, but also cutting down on a user's costs.

[0006] To this end, the present invention makes use of a retainingdevice against which the active substance lies upon or is connectedthereto such that the active substance is held by the retaining device.The retaining device is affixable to conventional cleaning devices,preferably those used in sanitary and/or hygienic fields. The cleaningdevice hereby has a gripping section for holding, preferably grasping,the cleaning device as well as a cleaning area connected thereto which,upon movement of the gripping section, comes into at least intermittentcontact with the object to be cleaned.

[0007] The active substance held in the retaining device is preferablywater soluble and preferably contains substances selected from a groupwhich especially includes lime-dissolving substances, cleansingsubstances-, scents and air fresheners, disinfectants, foamingsubstances, odor-eaters, dyes, as well as substances for dissolvingurine stains and the like.

[0008] In a particularly preferential embodiment of the inventivedevice, the retaining device is disposed with a receiving areapreferably consisting of a single-piece ring and which is affixed to thecleaning device at a fixing area connected thereto, said connectionpreferably being an interlocking and/or tension-locked connection. Theconnection of the fixing area to the receiving area is preferably anintegrally-formed one, whereby the receiving area serves foraccommodating the active substance.

[0009] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, theretaining device is a configuration of two or more pieces so that theretaining device is affixed by joining together and fixing the retainingdevice's component parts into an assembled state. The two-part ormulti-part retaining device likewise has a fixing area as well as areceiving area connected thereto, whereby the fixing area is affixableto the cleaning device and the thus-connected receiving areaaccommodates the active substance.

[0010] This type of retaining device for fitting active substances to acleaning device is thus not limited to a particular type of cleaningdevice, but rather can be affixed to a variety of different kinds ofcleaning devices.

[0011] The inventive device is particularly suited for fitting activesubstances to cleaning devices in which the gripping section and/or thecleaning area are elongated along the cleaning device's longitudinalaxis and where the cleaning area is preferably at least partly providedwith protrusions and/or at least partly of a sponge-like material,particularly preferred is the at least partial provision of bristles.

[0012] The inventive device is especially preferred for use withcleaning devices utilized in cleaning toilet bowls.

[0013] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the inventive retainingdevice, the receiving area of said retaining device extends insubstantially annular fashion around an axis of said retaining device.The retaining device is hereby affixed to the cleaning device at thefixing area, connected to the receiving area via a coupling section. Inits affixed state, the axis of the retaining device is preferablycongruent to, or at least partially coincides with the longitudinal axisof the cleaning device.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the receivingarea extends in polygon shape around the axis of the retaining device.

[0015] The receiving area is configured to be substantially flat in boththe ring-shaped as well as the polygon-shaped embodiment so that theactive substance lies flat up against said receiving area or adheres tosame.

[0016] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the activesubstance is firmly connected to the receiving area, preferably byhaving been poured and/or pressed and/or brought together withconnective elements.

[0017] Another embodiment of the present invention has a receiving areawhich extends at least partially in tubular shape around the axis of theretaining device so that a cavity is thereby defined which serves toaccommodate the active substance. The walls of the tube-shaped receivingarea are at least partly pervious to the active substance, beingpreferably provided with throughlets, so that the active substance canexit the receiving area and the cleaning effect will be realized duringthe cleaning.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the retainingdevice furthermore exhibits a radially cascading cross-section such thatan inner section is created within said retaining device which comprisesthe fixing area and which is connected with the holding means' outerarea, which comprises the receiving area, by a coupling sectionextending non-orthogonally to the axis of the retaining device.

[0019] The retaining device configured as such enables a simple fixingof the active substance to said retaining device with respect to amovement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of theretaining device by engagement with the throughlet of anannularly-configured active substance. This fixation hereby ensuespreferably by means of an interlocking meshing of the coupling section,fixing area respectively, with the active substance throughlet.

[0020] The fixation of the active substance with respect to a movementin the retaining device's axial direction transpires preferably by meansof protrusions disposed at the receiving area of said retaining devicewhich engage with active substance openings arranged complementarilythereto. Said protrusions hereby extend at least partly parallel to theaxis of the retaining device.

[0021] When using the cleaning device, for instance when cleaning atoilet bowl, the active substance is excreted due to its watersolubility. The active substance is thus dissipated over the course oftime during which the cleaning device is used.

[0022] The retaining device, preferably made from plastic, remainshereby unchanged and can then again accommodate a furthercorrespondingly-configured active substance. This results in the presentinvention providing an added measure of environmental friendliness sinceone and the same retaining device can accommodate a plurality of activesubstances.

[0023] A preferred embodiment of the present invention exhibits a closedring-shaped profile of the receiving area around the axis of theretaining device. The retaining device moreover exhibits an at leastpartly radially-extending perforation to the fixing area and/or thecoupling section and/or the receiving area. The retaining deviceadditionally comprises a flap affixed to the retaining device'sreceiving area at a substantially opposite position with respect to itsaxis.

[0024] Further embodiments of the present invention have an open annularprofile around the axis of the retaining device as well as a flapaffixed to the receiving area opposite the opening in the ring.

[0025] The inventive retaining device is preferably made of syntheticand/or plastic-like material. Said retaining device is furthermorepreferably made of a material which, as does the active substance, alsodissolves upon contact with water. Although the material of theretaining device will have a lower solubility than the active substance.The material comprising the retaining device may also contain scents orair freshening substances so as to continuously freshen the air in aroom, independent of actual use.

[0026] An active substance may be in solid form as well as in liquid orgel forms. In addition, a solid active substance can be rendered in theform of granules or small active agent pellets. The preferentialembodiment of the present invention makes use of a solid activesubstance of ring-shaped configuration.

[0027] The inventive retaining device, especially the flap and/or thefixing area, may furthermore be imprinted with advertising text orgraphics.

[0028] The fitting of the inventive retaining device to a cleaningdevice is rendered by sliding the retaining device over the cleaningdevice's gripping section and/or a part of its cleaning area, preferablyalong the longitudinal axis of the cleaning device. The fixing area'sinwardly-disposed protrusions are thus frictionally-fitted to thecleaning device and thereby connect the retaining device to the cleaningdevice above the cleaning area's cleaning bristles.

[0029] In the case of an embodiment of the retaining device inaccordance with the present invention which comprises two or morepieces, the fitting of the retaining device to a cleaning device isrendered by joining the component parts of the retaining device togetherso that the fixing area of the retaining device wraps around at leastone part of the gripping section and/or cleaning area of the cleaningdevice, thus resulting in a friction and/or form fit connection betweenthe retaining device and the cleaning device.

[0030] Depending upon the configuration of the retaining device, itsremoval may transpire either through pulling same off along thelongitudinal axis of the cleaning device or, in the case of a two-partor multi-part retaining device, by disengaging the retaining device'individual parts from one another. A retaining device provided with aperforation and/or a flap can moreover be released from a cleaningdevice by gripping the flap and pulling the retaining device in asubstantially perpendicular direction relative the cleaning device'slongitudinal axis. This results in a severing of the retaining device'sperforation and, thus, to a releasing of the retaining device from thecleaning device.

[0031] In a further embodiment of the inventive retaining device, theretaining device is integrally connected to the cleaning device so thatonly the active substance is to be fitted to the retaining device or thecleaning device, respectively.

[0032] Further advantages and features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description of a preferred embodimentof the present invention in conjunction with the drawings and claims,which indicate:

[0033]FIG. 1 a preferred embodiment of a retaining device in accordancewith the present invention;

[0034]FIG. 2 a further embodiment of a retaining device in accordancewith the present invention;

[0035]FIG. 3 a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a retainingdevice in accordance with the present invention;

[0036]FIG. 4 a sectional view of a further embodiment in accordance withthe present invention; and

[0037]FIG. 5 a sectional view of a retaining device affixed to acleaning device in accordance with the present invention.

[0038]FIG. 1 depicts a schematic top plan view of a retaining device 1in accordance with the present invention having a receiving area 2, afixing area 3, as well as a coupling section 4. Receiving area 2 ofretaining device 1 hereby extends substantially circularly around acenter of said retaining device 1. Coupling section 4 establishes aconnection between fixing area 3 and receiving area 2. The fixing areahas preferably at least one protrusion extending inwardly from couplingsection 4 toward the circle's center. Coupling section 4 as well asreceiving area 2 of retaining device 1 has a perforation extending atleast partially radially outwardly as well as a flap 6 arranged oppositethereto with respect to the ring's center and connected to receivingarea 2.

[0039]FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment of the present invention inwhich receiving area 2 as well as coupling section 4 is arranged in theshape of a polygon about a center of the retaining device. Fixing area 3is connected to coupling section 4, preferably integrally connectedthereto, wherein fixing area 3 has at least one protrusion facing inwardfrom coupling section 4 toward the center of the polygon. The embodimentof the present invention according to FIG. 2 thereby exhibits anon-closed profile to the receiving area around the center of thepolygon.

[0040] A non-closed profile to the annular receiving area of theretaining device in accordance with FIG. 1 is likewise possible.Analogously to the embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIG.1, retaining device 1 according to FIG. 2 has a flap 6 connected toreceiving area 2 situated opposite the break in the open polygon-shapedprofile of receiving area 2 relative the polygon center.

[0041]FIG. 3 shows the position of active substance 8, extendingsubstantially annularly around axis 7 of retaining device 1 relative thereceiving area of retaining device 1. Active substance ring 8 therebysubstantially lies against receiving area 2 of retaining device 1. Thecenter of the annularly-configured as well as the polygon-configuredreceiving area 2 thereby coincides with axis 7 of retaining device 1.

[0042] Coupling section 4 preferably extends in non-orthogonal manner toaxis 7 so that said coupling section 4 engages in the throughlet of theannularly-configured or polygon-configured active substance 8 and fixessame relative axis 7, preferably substantially centering same.

[0043] Receiving area 2 furthermore comprises protrusions 9 which extendat least partly parallel to axis 7 and engage in recesses 10 of activesubstance 8 arranged complementarily opposite thereto. Active substance8 is in this way fixed relative retaining device 1.

[0044]FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of an inventive retainingdevice, likewise having a receiving area 2 extending annularly aroundaxis 7, wherein said receiving area 2 is configured in tubular shape, bymeans of which a cavity is defined which serves for the accommodating ofactive substance 8. The walls of said tube-shaped receiving area 2 arehereby provided with throughlets 11 which allow for active substance 8to be discharged from receiving area 2. Receiving area 2 is in turnconnected by means of coupling section 4 to a fixing area 3 which servesfor the fastening of retaining device 1 to a cleaning device.

[0045]FIG. 5 shows an inventive retaining device in affixed state to acleaning device 20. Here, the inward-facing flexibly-configuredprotrusions of fixing area 3 are in frictional-fit connection withcleaning area 23 so that coupling section 4 holds receiving area 2 tocleaning device 20 above cleaning bristles 24. Active substance 8thereby lies, as likewise shown in FIG. 3, upon the receiving area ofretaining device 1.

[0046] The affixing of retaining device 1 to cleaning device 20transpires here by slipping retaining device 1 over gripping section 21of cleaning device 20 along the longitudinal axis 25 of the cleaningdevice until the desired position is reached above the cleaning bristles24 of cleaning area 23.

[0047] The protrusions of fixing area 3 are hereby of elasticconfiguration such that retaining device 1 may be affixed to differentcleaning devices of varying thicknesses.

[0048] Another advantage of the inventive retaining device is moreovergiven in that after active substance 8 has been depleted, same can bereplenished with new active substance 8 without needing to replaceretaining device 1. This reduces a user's costs and furthermorecontributes to protecting the environment.

1. Device for fitting one or more active substances (8) to a cleaningdevice (20), especially in sanitary and/or hygienic surroundings,wherein said cleaning device (20) comprises: at least one grippingsection (21) which is hand-held and moved by a user when utilizing saidcleaning device (20); at least one cleaning area (23) which comes intoat least temporar contact with an object to be cleaned upon saidgripping section being moved; characterized in that a retaining device(1) is in at least intermittent interlocking and/or tension-lockedconnection with one of said areas of said cleaning device (20); and anactive substance (8) is held in said retaining device.
 2. Deviceaccording to claim 1, characterized in that said active substance (8)contains substances selected from among a group which especiallyincludes lime-dissolving substances, cleansing substances, scents, airfresheners, disinfectants, foaming substances, odor-eaters, dyes,substances for dissolving urine stains, and the like.
 3. Device inaccordance with claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that said activesubstance (8) is water soluble.
 4. Device in accordance with at leastone of claims 1-3, characterized in that said retaining device (1) is ofsingle-piece configuration and has at least one receiving area (2)extending at least partially around an axis (7) and which is at leastpartially connected to said active substance (8); and that saidretaining device (1) comprises at least one fixing area (3) which isconnected to at least a portion of said receiving area (2), preferablyintegrally connected thereto, and which has at least one partiallyinward-extending protrusion and/or at least one elastic elementextending at least partially around said axis (7).
 5. Device inaccordance with at least one of claims 1-3, characterized in that saidretaining device (1) is of two-piece or multi-piece configuration and inan assembled state exhibits at least one receiving area (2) whichextends at least partially around an axis (7) and which is at leastpartially connected to said active substance (8); and that saidretaining device (1) in said assembled state comprises at least onefixing area (3) which is connected to at least a portion of receivingarea (2), preferably integrally connected thereto, and which has atleast one partially inward-extending protrusion and/or at least oneelastic element extending at least partially around said axis (7). 6.Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the components ofsaid retaining device (1) are joined together when in said assembledstate by at least one connective means.
 7. Device according to at leastone of claims 4-6, characterized in that at least one coupling section(4) is arranged between said receiving area (2) and said fixing area(3).
 8. Device according to at least one of claims 4-7, characterized inthat said receiving area (2) is arranged substantially flat and/orsubstantially perpendicular to axis (7).
 9. Device according to at leastone of claims 4-8, characterized in that said receiving area (2) extendsat least partially in an annular and/or polygonal shape around said axis(7) and/or the progression of said receiving area (2) around said axisis at least partially tubular and the walls of said tube comprise one ormore throughlets (11).
 10. Device according to at least one of claims4-9, characterized in that said receiving area (2) and/or couplingsection (4) and/or fixing area (3) are at least partially of latticedconfiguration.
 11. Device according to at least one of claims 4-10,characterized in that said receiving area (2) and/or coupling section(4) and/or fixing area (3) comprise at least a perforation (5) extendingat least partially radially.
 12. Device according to at least one ofclaims 4-11, characterized in that an outwardly-extending flap (6) isaffixed at said receiving area (2), preferably affixed integrallythereto.
 13. Device according to at least one of claims 4-12,characterized in that said active substance (8) comprises at least a geland/or at least a granule material and/or at least a liquid and/or atleast a polymer and/or at least a solid substance.
 14. Device accordingto at least one of claims 4-13, characterized in that said activesubstance (8) is configured to be at least partly annular and/orpolygonal and/or the profile of said active substance correspondssubstantially to the profile of said receiving area (2) around said axis(7).
 15. Device according to at least one of claims 4-14, characterizedin that said active substance (8) is disposed to lie upon receiving area(2) and/or be suspended at said receiving area (2).
 16. Device accordingto at least one of claims 4-15, characterized in that the transitionzone (4) of retaining device (1) engages in the centric throughlet ofsaid active substance ring (8) or active substance polygon (8),respectively.
 17. Device according to at least one of claims 4-16,characterized in that said receiving area (2) has at least oneprotrusion (9) extending at least partially parallel to said axis (7)which engages into at least one recess (10) of said active substance (8)arranged complementarily thereto.
 18. Device according to at least oneof claims 1-17, characterized in that said gripping section (21) and/orcleaning area (23) of cleaning device (20) is configured to extend insubstantially elongated design along a longitudinal axis (25) of saidcleaning device (20); and cleaning area (23) is at least partiallyprovided with bristles (24) arranged to extend radially outwardlyrelative said longitudinal axis (25) of said cleaning device (20). 19.Device according to at least one of claims 1-18, characterized in thatsaid cleaning device (20) is a brush for cleaning toilet bowls. 20.Method for fitting one or more active substances (8) to a cleaningdevice (20), especially in sanitary and/or hygienic surroundings,wherein said cleaning device (20) comprises: at least one grippingsection (21) which is held and moved, preferably grasped and moved, whenutilizing said cleaning device (20); at least one cleaning area (23)which comes into at least temporary contact with an object to be cleanedupon said gripping section being moved; characterized by the followingprocedural steps: extracting a retaining device (1) from a packagingprovided thereto; affixing said retaining device (1) to at least one ofsaid areas of said cleaning device (20).
 21. Method according to claim20, characterized in that the affixing of said retaining device (1) tosaid cleaning device (20) is rendered by slipping at least one of saidfixing areas (3) disposed on said retaining device (1) over at least apart of said gripping section (21) and/or said cleaning area (23) ofsaid cleaning device (20).
 22. Method according to claim 20,characterized in that the affixing of said retaining device (1) to saidcleaning device (20) is rendered through the joining of at least twocomponents of a retaining device (1) and fixing areas (3) mountedthereon to at least a part of said gripping section (21) and/or saidcleaning area (23) of said cleaning device (20).
 23. Method according toat least one of claims 20-22, characterized by the additional proceduralsteps: extracting an active substance (8) from a packaging providedthereto; affixing said active substance (8) to at least one part of saidretaining device (1).
 24. Method according to at least one of claims20-23, characterized by the additional procedural steps: extractingprotective gloves from a packaging provided thereto; donning saidprotective gloves; grasping the flap (6) of said retaining device (1);drawing said retaining device (1) back from said cleaning device (20) ina direction, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (25);discarding said retaining device (1).